She trembled, released a quivery sigh. “I don’t like lying to her either. But it will only be for a few days. We’ll leave first thing the day after tomorrow.”
“What’s the point of staying longer?” They shouldn’t. She’d found out what she needed to know and now they should do the practical thing and return to New York. Return to normal life, away from too bright sunshine and gorgeous guest homes with views that stole a man’s breath. Delicious food, delicious breezes and the most delicious woman he’d ever met…
“There is more I’d like to talk to my mother about. I need one more day.” She paused, glanced over her shoulder to gaze up at him. “That’s all I ask for, Gavin. One more day. Then we can go home and move forward with this.”
He could handle one more day. “Does she want to meet me—as your boyfriend?” It sounded juvenile, calling himself Stasia’s boyfriend. Lover, yes, somewhat, though the term implied a far more intimate relationship than what they’d shared. Partner was too formal.
None of it fit. Attorney fucking around with his client? That was it in a nutshell.
He felt like a slimy shit just thinking it.
“She does. She’s excited to meet you, so please don’t say or do anything awful.” Stasia nodded as he smoothed his thumb back and forth across the back of her neck. “She promised me she would be at dinner tonight. I hope she shows up.”
“She will. And I may not like this, but I won’t sabotage you, Stasia. I would never do that.”
She offered him a grim smile. “Thank you.”
He whipped her around with a simple turn of his hands so they faced each other. Grabbing her arms, he settled them around his neck so she had no choice but to cling to him. “I’m serious.”
“And so am I.” She tightened her grip around him, slid her fingers into his hair and tugged ever so slightly. “Thank you, Gavin.”
She kissed him. Which sent him reeling, as foolish as that sounded. But God, it was the truth. Her salty sweet lips clung to his in the gentlest of kisses. A simple kiss that had his cock rising and his blood heating, that made him want to fling her over his shoulder and cart her out of the ocean, straight to her little car where he would toss her onto the backseat and push aside her bikini bottom, shove his cock so deep inside her he’d come in an instant.
Yeah.
He didn’t do any of that. Merely watched with mute fascination as she disentangled herself from him. Shot a little smile his way before she turned her back on him and headed toward shore. “Are you coming?” she called.
He would’ve been if he had his way. And so would she. “Yeah,” he said, taking a deep breath before he launched himself into the water and went chasing after her.
Chapter Ten
“Your young man is lovely.” Claudia smiled at her daughter as she held her wineglass poised before her lips. “So handsome and articulate.”
“You really think so?” Stasia glanced in Gavin’s direction. He stood at the opposite end of the table, engrossed in some sort of business conversation on his cell. He’d asked for her permission to take the call earlier, a request that had surprised her, and touched her as well. He was showing polite deference, like they were a real couple and he didn’t want to disturb what should be an important night for her. Considering the meal had long been over and they were sitting around chatting outside in the darkening night, she didn’t have a problem with his taking the call.
Considering he wasn’t her real boyfriend, she
really
shouldn’t have a problem.
“Don’t play coy with me, Anastasia.” The firm tone in her mother’s voice made her jerk her gaze away from Gavin to find her mother watching her with a bemused smile. “You seem quite entranced by him.”
“Well, he is, like you mentioned, handsome,” Stasia said somewhat bitterly.
Her mother laughed. “And he’s quite taken with you as well.”
Stasia waved a hand, dismissing her words yet asking, “How can you tell?” Her mother would concoct some sort of romantic story, no doubt. Of true love and meaningful looks and how they went hand in hand. Utter nonsense, but Stasia would humor her, agree with everything Claudia said because how could she argue?
She didn’t want to arouse suspicion, especially since tonight had gone so well.
“He’s completely smitten, considering the way he looks at you, no? He clearly adores you.” The secretive smile curving her mother’s lips made her nervous. “Are you two in love?”
“Mama,” Stasia quietly chastised, hoping Gavin hadn’t heard that particular question. “We’ve only started dating.”
“Hmm, you’ve said that already. But there seems to be such a strong connection between the two of you. It’s so sweet.” The wistful expression on Claudia’s face was unmistakable. “To be so young and falling for each other, falling in love. There is no other feeling like it, is there?”
Stasia remained silent, believing it best she not acknowledge the statement. Like she’d know. She’d never been in love in her life and she certainly wasn’t falling for Gavin. Oh, she carried a healthy dose of lust for him that she couldn’t deny. Lust mixed with irritation because they still argued.
Argue and arouse. That was their pattern. It set her on edge, made her nervous, made her uncomfortable, made her…feel.
They’d done their best to pretend they were a couple for her mother’s sake, she and Gavin. He’d been agreeable, had even made up a story of how they first met as they drove back to the villa so they could have the facts straight. Pretending to be the attentive lover when introduced to her mother, he never left Stasia’s side throughout the meal, idly touching her in the most casual yet intimate ways. Grasping her hand, pressing his hand to the small of her back, tangling his fingers in her hair at her nape. She’d worn her hair up in a high ponytail, held her breath every time he touched her neck, the stray tendrils that rested there. Having her hair stroked was a secret weakness and it was as if he sensed it.
Lucky her.
She touched him in return, feeling downright possessive as the night went on. Looping her arm through his when they walked outside onto the terrace, resting her hand on his thigh for that one brief moment, feeling his hard muscles beneath her palm. Wishing she were brave enough to slide her hand up further.
Her cheeks heated and she shook her head. That she could have these thoughts while sitting with her mother proved Gavin Westmore held some sort of sexual magic over her. A rather disturbing, potent magic that both captivated and revolted her.
“He’s very successful, isn’t he? I sense he is a young man who’s worked extremely hard to get where he is,” her mother observed.
Stasia nodded absently. She didn’t know enough about his past to confirm or deny. “He’s very good at what he does.”
“I’m sure.” The amusement in Claudia’s voice was clear. “I am so happy you’re not alone during all of this, my darling. And I am so terribly sorry I have run away from it all.”
The jovial tone disappeared, replaced by utter sadness. Reaching out, Stasia rested her hand over her mother’s. “Come home with us.”
“I—I couldn’t.”
“You should. You have been missed. And I need your support.” The admission had been particularly hard to make, but her mother should know how much she needed her. The next stage they were about to embark on was probably going to be the most difficult.
It would make an immense difference, having her mother by her side.
“I need time to prepare,” Claudia said after a long, quiet moment. “Please don’t push me, Anastasia. This is very difficult for me.”
“It’s difficult for me too, Mama. I have lost my father.”
“And I have lost a husband.” Claudia lifted her chin, defiance firming her delicate jaw.
“I have lost my entire identity. Who I am, where I belong. Everything.” She spat the words out, full of angry passion. “I was a Renaldi. I had a career. I was an important part of the Renaldi empire. And he took it all away from me.” Her entire body trembled, she was so angry.
“Don’t take your anger out on me. I will not allow it.” Claudia leapt to her feet, her eyes blazing. “You cannot blame me for your father’s actions.”
“Actually, I can.” A sort of calmness settled over Stasia as she rose, facing her mother down. They were of similar statures, but Claudia was shorter and much thinner. Stasia stepped closer, wishing her mother would realize. Wishing her mother knew how her actions all those years ago changed her daughter’s entire life. “You should’ve never had an affair with Michael Worth.”
“And if I hadn’t, then you wouldn’t be here. Is that what you wish I would think? That you’d never been born?” Her mother’s voice had gone shrill.
Stasia recoiled, nausea sweeping over her. “Of—of course not.”
“I never meant for this to happen. It was supposed to be a secret. How was I supposed to know your father was going to become so shrewd during his last days on this Earth, eh? He became obsessed with the idea that you didn’t belong to him. It was too deep a betrayal for him to deal with. He didn’t even want to look at me those last few days. I forced him to. Made him talk to me, see me, and I begged him not to do anything rash. But he didn’t listen.” Bitter tears flowed now, and Claudia shook her head. “He never listened. Just like you don’t listen.”
“What is going on here?” Gavin approached, slipping his arm around Stasia so he could pull her close. “Is everything all right?”
Clearly, it wasn’t, but his appearance, his question diffused their argument somewhat. Stasia sagged against his solid warmth, thankful for his nearness. He was a steady anchor in this turbulent storm of emotion, strong and real for her to cling to.
And she did, unabashedly. Resting her hand on his shoulder, she gazed up at him, blinking back the tears that threatened. “I need to get out of here,” she whispered.
“Excuse us, Claudia,” he said politely, steering Stasia toward the guesthouse. He didn’t ask, didn’t consult, merely took over as if it was his right and took care of her.
She appreciated it more than he’d ever know.
“What the hell happened between you two?” Gavin asked when he got Stasia into his room. One minute, mother and daughter were getting along, chatting amicably while he had to take a call from a client which had taken longer than he anticipated.
The next thing he knew, he’d finished the call and the two women were in a stand off, looking ready to take each other down. Murmuring hurtful, terrible things to each other that neither of them could ever take back.
He’d interfered immediately, without thought. Pure instinct had him whisking Stasia out of there before it got any uglier, though he wasn’t sure if that was possible.
It had sounded pretty damn ugly already when he broke the two women up.
Stasia settled into a chair, exhaling a shaky breath. “She doesn’t think what she did is wrong. She’s blaming it all on my—father, Giorgio Renaldi, whatever you want to call him.”
“He’s your father. He’s the one who raised you.” Gavin stood just behind her, thankful he could study Stasia without her noticing. Her bent head, the elegant curve of her neck exposed, those stray wisps of hair brushing her skin a temptation he could hardly withstand. “Who do you believe is at fault for this?” He asked the question quietly, not wanting to upset her more.
She whirled around, her eyes wild, her face flushed. “Both of them! She’s the one who had the affair and kept her suspicions of who my real father was from him my entire life. Then he finds out the truth and punishes me. Me! It’s not my fault.”
“No, it’s not,” he agreed.
“So why am I the one left carrying the burden? Why am I the one who’s looked upon with disgust by everyone? Why am I the one who’s been stripped of her family and heritage? What did
I
do wrong?” She dissolved into tears, great wracking sobs taking over her body as she slumped over. He ached to comfort her, tell her everything was going to be all right but he didn’t know that. Didn’t know how everything was going to turn out for her.
He wanted to solve all her problems but he didn’t know if he was capable. He had no control over the Worths. And the Renaldi business structure was locked tight by the ironclad will Giorgio Renaldi had drawn up.
She might end up the lost little princess forever.
“I hate feeling sorry for myself,” she choked out, wiping the tears away from her cheeks with the back of her hand. “I hate all of this crying and carrying on. I don’t do this sort of thing, always prided myself on not being a weepy, weak female. But after the will reading, I cried for days straight. I thought all my tears had finally dried up, but being here, with my mother…hearing the entire story, hearing her apologize and then turn around and point fingers at my father, point fingers at me, I...” She shook her head, too consumed to speak any longer.
That did it. He touched her, wrapped his hand around the nape of her neck, massaging her soft, sensitive skin. A shiver moved through her, and she whimpered, “I’m so tired of all this.”
“You realize it could take years to clear everything up,” he said. She tensed beneath his hand, inhaling sharply. “Depending on what you want and what the Worths are willing to give you, the case could be tied up in the courts for years. And then there’s your fight with the Renaldi end.”
“I’m not fighting Renaldi. Why would I fight my family?”